SAN FRANCISCO — After back-to-back games when they squeezed one run from nine innings of opportunity, the Cardinals did a remix of their lineup and, as a new rhythm took hold, introduced a hitter they once thought was going to be part of their season all along.
Since rookie Juan Yepez has joined the Cardinals lineup, they had consecutive romps for a total of 17 runs in two games, and on Friday night, late as the fog rolled in over Oracle Park, the newcomer showed how he can help in tighter games too.
Yepez struck for a one-out double down the third-base line in the ninth inning and put in motion the Cardinals’ tie-breaking rally. Rookie Brendan Donovan pinch-ran for Yepez at second, and when Dylan Carlson laced a single to center the base hit Yepez had became the run the Cardinals needed to edge San Francisco, 3-2. Carlson had entered as a defensive replacement late in the game before delivering the offense that decided the game.
Giovanny Gallegos got a double play to end the game and erase the single he allowed in the ninth inning. Gallegos’ scoreless ninth secured his sixth save.
The Cardinals struck for a two-run lead in the fifth when Harrison Bader, an inning after losing a fly ball in center field, lost a ball into the left-field seats for his second homer of the season. The Giants answered and the score remained tied through the machinations of relievers into the ninth inning.
The question for the first half of the game was when pitch limits would stop the starters, because neither lineup seemed likely to do it.
Giants starter Alex Cobb retired the first 10 Cardinals he faced, and only one of them got the ball out of the infield. Only two got the ball past the pitcher’s mound. Cobb struck out four of the first nine he faced, and when the Cardinals did get back-to-back runners on base against him in the fourth inning, he swiftly, ruthlessly struck out the next two batters. Cobb got cleanup hitter Tyler O’Neill to fish for a sinker in the dirt, and designated hitter Juan Yepez fell behind 0-2 in the count before wincing as he missed on Cobb’s sinker.
Cardinals right-hander Jordan Hicks matched Cobb, kernel for kernel.
The Cardinals’ right-hander pushed his pitch count ever closer to 70, and he had the horsepower to pich around a walk and a single in the second inning without allowing a run. Hicks struck out the side in the third inning. He struck out the first batter in a 99-mph fastball, got the second to swing over an 86-mph slider after seeing two 100-mph fastballs, and Hicks finished the inning with a 79-mph breaking ball. Throughout the game, he also continued to land his new changeup. Inspired by Miami right-hander and former Cardinals’ prospect Sandy Alcantara, Hicks has been fiddling with a new grip on a changeup, a pitch he’s seen Alcantara play off his fastball to riddle hitters.
Hicks dotted it several times between 92-94 mph.
A changeup.
At 92-94 mph.
Cobb’s pitch count ran out after five innings, and one of his 75 pitches, Bader plopped in the left-field seats for a two-run homer that gave the Cardinals that early lead. Hicks got his pitch count to 68, but he did not complete the fifth inning because the Giants threatened and Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol had lefty Genesis Cabrera ready to force San Francisco into a choice.
The bottom of the Giants’ order greeted Hicks to start the fifth inning with a single, a walk, and then a groundout. With two runners on base and two outs to get, Marmol went to Cabrera, knowing the lefty was unlikely to face the left-handed hitters atop the Giants’ lineup. Something else was afoot. The Giants went with a line change – and they benefited from it. Right-handed hitter Darin Ruf, the second consecutive right-handed hitter to pinch-hit vs. Cabrera, flared a single to right field that scored two and tied the game, 2-2.
The benefit of the swap of hitters was immediate for the Giants.
The counterpunch was the long game for the Cardinals.
When that group of hitters came back around with a runner on base in the seventh inning and the Giants’ bench had no exchanges handy, there was right-handed reliever Ryan Helsley ready for the run of right-handed hitters. He struck out three consecutive and got the fourth to groundout. For balance, he struck out left-handed slugger Joc Pederson to keep the game tied.
The Cardinals did not capitalize on the relief they got in the eighth when the Giants went back to submariner Tyler Rogers for the second consecutive day. San Francisco needed nine pitchers to complete nine innings Thursday night, and that meant setup man Rogers threw in a game the Giants didn’t need, spending pitches and an appearance in a spot they’d otherwise avoid with him. He entered in a more familiar spot Friday night with the game tied to start the eighth.
Four batters in, Rogers had two outs, but the Cardinals had Tommy Edman’s triple and a walk to Paul Goldschmidt to threaten a rally.
Rogers handed the ball to a teammate for assist.
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